[139] When this was said, the Magadhan king Ajātasattu, son of the Videhan princess, said this to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable sir! Excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what has been overturned, or uncover what has been concealed, or point out the way to one who is lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes may see forms—even so has the Dhamma been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. Venerable sir, I go to the Blessed One for refuge (saraṇa), and to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower (upāsaka) who has gone for refuge for life, from this day forward. A transgression (accaya) overcame me, venerable sir—so foolish, so muddled, so unskillful was I—in that I, venerable sir, deprived my father, a righteous man and a righteous king, of life for the sake of sovereignty. Venerable sir, may the Blessed One accept my transgression as a transgression, for the sake of restraint in the future."
"Indeed, great king, a transgression overcame you—so foolish, so muddled, so unskillful were you—in that you deprived your father, a righteous man and a righteous king, of life for the sake of sovereignty. But since you, great king, have seen your transgression as a transgression and make amends in accordance with the Dhamma, we accept it from you. For this, great king, is growth in the discipline of the noble ones: that one who sees a transgression as a transgression and makes amends in accordance with the Dhamma undertakes restraint in the future."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.